How Big Are Badgers Compared to Cats?

How Big Are Badgers Compared to Cats?

by Alex Kountry
Updated on

A common question we get asked is “How big are badgers compared to cats?” Here’s a quick blog post to help answer that question!

How Big Are Badgers Compared to Cats?Checkout this video:

Introduction

Badgers are members of the weasel family, which includes otters, ferrets, and wolverines. They are large, stocky animals with short legs and long bodies. The head is broad with short ears, small eyes, and a large nose. The coat is thick and coarse with black-and-white markings. Most badgers are black with white stripes running down the sides of their face and across their back.

Badger Size

Badgers vary in size depending on the species, but they are typically smaller than bears and larger than weasels. The European badger, for example, is about the size of a medium-sized dog. The American badger, on the other hand, is about the size of a large cat.

Length

Badgers are short-legged omnivores in the family Mustelidae, which also includes otters, polecats, weasels and wolverines. The twelve species of badger are grouped in three subfamilies: Melinae (the Eurasian badgers), Mellivorinae (the honey badger or ratel) and Taxideinae (the American badger); the Asiatic stink badgers of the genus Mydaus were formerly included in the subfamily Melinae.

Badgers have rather uniform body shapes and get their name from their broad, flat heads with characteristic black and white markings. They grow to between 20 and 80 cm (8 and 31 in) in length with a tail of 5–15 cm (2–6–6 in). Except for the stink badgers, all members of the family have anal sacs that secrete a foul smelling substance used for marking territory and signaling aggression.

The main differences between species are found in size, habitats and preferred diets. Badgers have elongated bodies with short legs; they are powerfully built with heavy skulls, long muzzles and strongly curved claws that they use for digging. The European badger is the largest member of the family; it weighs 9–17 kg (20–37 lb) on average but can exceed 30 kg (66 lb).

The smallest member of the family is weight 8 g (0.28 oz).

Weight

Badgers weigh anywhere from 14 to 40 pounds (6.4 to 18.1 kilograms), depending on the species and whether they are male or female. Male European badgers (Meles meles) weigh 20 to 31 pounds (9.1 to 14 kg), while females weigh 15 to 27 pounds (6.8 to 12.2 kg). The largest member of the mustelid family is the Eurasian badger, which can weigh 40 pounds (18 kg) or more. Badgers are about 2 to 3 feet (0.6 to 0.9 meters) long, with a tail that adds another 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm).

Height

Badgers are typically around two feet tall and three feet long, with the tail adding another six to eight inches. They can get as big as three feet tall and four feet long, however. Male badgers tend to be larger than females.

Cat Size

The domestic cat is a small, typically furry, carnivorous mammal. They are often called house cats when kept as indoor pets or simply cats when there is no need to distinguish them from other felines and felids. Cats are often valued by humans for companionship and for their ability to hunt vermin. The big cat species are all felids, while the smaller cats are generally classified as non-felids.

Length

Badgers are usually between 20 and 30 inches long, with a tail that adds another 5 to 8 inches. They typically weigh between 15 and 30 pounds, although some can reach up to 40 or 50 pounds. So, in terms of length, badgers are generally much larger than cats. However, when it comes to weight, there is quite a bit of variation, and some badgers may be comparable in size to a large cat.

Weight

The typical badger weighs between 20 and 40 pounds (9 and 18 kilograms). The European badger, also called the Meles meles, is on the heavier side, with some adults tipping the scales at 60 pounds (27 kg). The Asiatic stink badger, also called the mydaus marchei, is much smaller, averaging only 11 pounds (5 kg). In terms of weight, most domestic cats fall in the 4- to 5-pound range. However, some breeds, such as Maine coons and Ragdolls, can get quite a bit larger. Male Maine coons can weigh up to 18 pounds (8 kg), while Ragdolls top out at around 15 pounds (7 kg). So, a fully grown badger is generally much heavier than your average house cat.

Height

The average height of a badger is about 24-30 inches, with the males being slightly larger than the females. A full-grown adult cat, on the other hand, typically only reaches heights of around 12-16 inches. This means that badgers are generally twice as tall as cats, give or take a few inches. When it comes to length, badgers tend to measure in at around 35-45 inches from nose to tail, whereas cats usually only grow to be 20-30 inches long. This makes badgers almost 50% longer than cats!

Comparison

Badgers are a type of animal that is closely related to weasels, otters, and wolverines. There are 11 different species of badgers that can be found in Europe, Asia, and North America. The largest species of badger is the European badger, which can grow to be up to 4 feet long and weigh up to 40 pounds. The smallest species of badger is the American badger, which only grows to be about 2 feet long and only weighs about 10 pounds.

In comparison, house cats can grow to be up to 4 feet long and weigh up to 20 pounds. So, while European badgers are larger than American badgers, both types of badgers are still smaller than cats.

Conclusion

In conclusion, badgers are considerably larger than cats. A typical badger weighs between 15 and 30 pounds, while a cat typically weighs between 8 and 10 pounds.

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About the author

Alex Kountry

Alex Kountry is the founder of HayFarmGuy and has been a backyard farmer for over 10 years. Since then he has decided to write helpful articles that will help you become a better backyard farmer and know what to do. He also loves to play tennis and read books

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